What is Newtonian mechanics: Definition and 204 Discussions

Classical mechanics is a physical theory describing the motion of macroscopic objects, from projectiles to parts of machinery, and astronomical objects, such as spacecraft, planets, stars, and galaxies. For objects governed by classical mechanics, if the present state is known, it is possible to predict how it will move in the future (determinism), and how it has moved in the past (reversibility).
The earliest development of classical mechanics is often referred to as Newtonian mechanics. It consists of the physical concepts based on foundational works of Sir Isaac Newton, and the mathematical methods invented by Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, Joseph-Louis Lagrange, Leonhard Euler, and other contemporaries, in the 17th century to describe the motion of bodies under the influence of a system of forces. Later, more abstract methods were developed, leading to the reformulations of classical mechanics known as Lagrangian mechanics and Hamiltonian mechanics. These advances, made predominantly in the 18th and 19th centuries, extend substantially beyond earlier works, particularly through their use of analytical mechanics. They are, with some modification, also used in all areas of modern physics.
Classical mechanics provides extremely accurate results when studying large objects that are not extremely massive and speeds not approaching the speed of light. When the objects being examined have about the size of an atom diameter, it becomes necessary to introduce the other major sub-field of mechanics: quantum mechanics. To describe velocities that are not small compared to the speed of light, special relativity is needed. In cases where objects become extremely massive, general relativity becomes applicable. However, a number of modern sources do include relativistic mechanics in classical physics, which in their view represents classical mechanics in its most developed and accurate form.

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  1. A

    Why is force invariant in Newtonian mechanics?

    Recently, I've been pondering deeply on relativity (both Galilean and SR) and all of a sudden I find that I don't grasp even the basic concepts of physics (or life) anymore, i.e. I can't go back to my previous, "normal" mode of thinking. Consider Newtonian mechanics, take the ground to be at...
  2. shanepitts

    When do Newtonian mechanics breakdown

    What would be the scale, in which Newtonian mechanics dissolve and QM becomes the sole victor for accurate predictions? A physics colleague told me that it was from the nanoscale to the Planck scale, but I am not entirely sure that it has been used near infinitesimally small ranges as 10^–34.
  3. MarkFL

    MHB Solving Differential Eqn to Test Paratrooper Account

    Here is the question: I have posted a link to this topic so the OP can see my work.
  4. B

    Finding Initial Velocity Components of a Projectile Using Kinematic Equations

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  5. D

    Skier on a snowball (Newtonian Mechanics)

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  6. D

    Newtonian Mechanics - Ball Falling through Syrup

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  7. D

    Newtonian Mechanics - Particle in Motion with Air Resistance

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  8. A

    Difficulty understanding Newtonian mechanics with stationary force

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  9. A

    What is the difference between Langrangian, Hamiltonian and Newtonian Mechanics?

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  10. B

    Describing quantities independently from frames in Newtonian mechanics

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  11. C

    When does quantum mechanics turn into Newtonian mechanics?

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  12. A

    Simple Newtonian mechanics problem

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  13. A

    Newtonian Mechanics and Forces Problem

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  14. U

    Newtonian mechanics of a metal slab

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  15. N

    Is Newtonian Mechanics more general than Hamiltonian Mechanics?

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  16. B

    Effusion differential equation from Newtonian mechanics

    Homework Statement If you poke a hole in a container full of gas: the gas will start leaking out. In this problem, you will make a rough estimate of the rate at which gas escapes through a hole: effusion. (This assumes the hole is sufficiently small). Consider such a hole of area "A". The...
  17. B

    Indeterminism in Newtonian mechanics?

    This paper, written by a University of Pittsburgh professor, John Norton, describes a simple situation in which Newtonian mechanics allows for purportedly non-deterministic equations of motion: http://www.pitt.edu/~jdnorton/papers/DomePSA2006.pdf In the first part of the paper, he describes the...
  18. J

    Newtonian mechanics & Oort Cloud Shell

    Last week there was a documentary program on Nat Geo I believe having to do with the composition and origins of comets. The narrative seemed to imply that comets originate within & are rather randomly dislodged from a spherical shell around the Solar System called the Oort cloud. This...
  19. G

    Negative Energy in Newtonian Mechanics: Explained

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  20. fluidistic

    Lagrangian of an isolated particle, independant from Newtonian Mechanics?

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  21. E

    Simple Newtonian mechanics problem

    Homework Statement a man with mass m=66kg is standing on top of a platform with mass M=120kg. The man is pulling himself up using a pair of ropes suspended over massless pulleys. he pulls each rope with force of F=600N and is accelerating towards the ceiling at acceleration a. g=9.8 m/sec^2...
  22. R

    Newtonian Mechanics (true or false)

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  23. B

    Newtonian Mechanics: Falling Parachutist Problem

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  24. B

    Newtonian Mechanics - the movement of a particles

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  25. P

    Newtonian Mechanics, accounting for wind?

    hey everyone I'm in year 12 physics, and we have a project revolving around the physics of sport i selected golfing, and my initial aim is to investigate the inaccuracy associated with predicting the aerodynamic motion of a golf ball (max height, max distance). i selected this mainly...
  26. S

    True / False questions related to Newtonian Mechanics

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  27. B

    Newtonian mechanics w/ drag -

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  28. M

    Simple Newtonian Mechanics question (infamous box and ramp question)

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  29. M

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  30. 5

    Help Newtonian mechanics and Bernoulli/Venturi effect in generating lift

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  31. J

    Newtonian mechanics and inclined planes

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  32. M

    Newtonian Mechanics - single particle

    Homework Statement The speed of a particle of mass [m] varies with the distance[x] as v(x)=ax^(-n). Assume v(x=0)=0 at t=0. a)Find the force F(x) responsible b)Determine x(t) c)Determine F(t) Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution My solution to part a is F(x)=-ma^2nx^(-2n-1)...
  33. F

    Newtonian mechanics VS. variational principles

    Hello! Would you say that the following text is true from beginning to end?: ----------------------- Basically, there are two mechanical approaches to describe a particle: (a) the variational principles (e.g., the Lagrangian and Hamiltonian ones) and (b) the Newtonian approach. The former...
  34. W

    Guide to Learning Newtonian Mechanics

    What books would you recommend as good books for learning theory of physics. My focus is on Newtonian mechanics. Any other books with good problems to solve will also be nice. As of now I have the feynmann lectures on physics in PDF format which I printed. Very nice although I'd like a little...
  35. L

    Affine space or fibre bundle: spacetime formalism in Newtonian mechanics

    Hi, I was wondering, which spacetime model do you prefer for Newtonian dynamics? VI Arnold constructs it on an affine space \mathbb{A}^4 with an Euclidean space \mathbb{E}^3 defined on each time cross-section. The construction of time is somewhat cumbersome, involving defining \mathbb{R}^4 to...
  36. L

    Newtonian Mechanics: Forces & Acceleration Explained

    Okay, I'm sort of confused about forces and acceleration here. Does any force cause an acceleration? What if the force is constant? So does it depend on the situation of the applied force to see if the object accelerates? For example, if you apply a constant force on an object at rest, then the...
  37. U

    General Relativity vs Newtonian Mechanics

    I am involved in a discussion about non-locality in QM. I'm arguing that it is possible for a local mechanism to emulate a non-local one and the best example I could find is gravity (the apparently non-local force required by Newtonian gravity being explained by a local mechanism in GR). My...
  38. R

    What happens when a person punches a spinning wheel on a skateboard?

    Hello, Say you have a frictionless setting. In this setting are two skateboards. One has a waterwheel (or any wheel with fins) propped up on beams so that it is on the skateboard and can freely turn. On the other skateboard is a person standing on it. If the skateboards are one behind the...
  39. P

    Newtonian mechanics - extended rigid body's rotation, moment of inertia

    Homework Statement Figure shows the cylindrical skater, http://hk.geocities.com/puipui_queen/cylinder_skater.jpg as she spins,she may be modeled as a homogeneous cylinder of raduis R, height h, and density p, with outstretched arms. The arms are cylinders as welll, also of density p...
  40. N

    Newtonian mechanics, incline, acceleration FUN

    "Two boxes, m1=1.0 kg witha coefficient of kinetic friction of 0.10 amd m2=2.0 kg with a coefficient of 0.20, are placed on a plane inclined at 30 degrees. (a) What acceleration does each box experience? (b) If a taut string is connecting the boxes with m2 farther down the slope, what is the...
  41. L

    Formalism of Newtonian Mechanics

    Hi, I was wondering, how would one formulate Newtonian Mechanics as a rigorous mathematical model? Would one take force to be an external quantity defined by various force laws (Coulomb, UG) and accept Newton's Second Law of Motion as an axiom (and first law as a definition of inertial...
  42. K

    What is the acceleration and sliding time of a car on a rotating platform?

    A car is driven on a large revolving platform which rotates with constant angular speed w.At t=0, a driver leaves the origin and follows a line painted radially outward on the platformwith a constant speed v0.The total weight of the car is W,and the co-eff. of friction between the car and the...
  43. K

    Newtonian mechanics and capstan

    Consider a capstan.A circular body around which a strong rope is wound.The free ends of the rope are pulled with tension Ta and Tb. Ta>>Tb.Co--eff. of friction is mu.theta is the total angle subtended by the attached portion of the rope on the centre of the drum.Prove that Ta=Tb[exp(-mu theta)]
  44. K

    Force F for Balanced Masses M2, M3 on Block M1

    A rectangular block of mass M1 rests on the frictionless horizontal plane.On it there is a rectanglar shaped hole, drilled from upper surface.A mass M2 is on the frictionless upper surface of the block being connected through string over a pulley another mass M3 which hangs in the hole.The mass...
  45. Amith2006

    Inertial Frame Characteristics in Newtonian Mechanics

    # In Newtonian mechanics, which of the following characteristics of a particle is the same in all inertial frames? a)Speed b)Velocity c)Momentum d)Impulse Does Newtonian mechanics mean Classical mechanics?
  46. J

    Advanced books/papers on derivation of Newtonian mechanics from GR

    During many time i have searched a complete and rigorous derivation of Newtonian limit from GR but i found none. I suspect that it does not exist! I do not refer to that "supposed derivation" that appears in many textbooks of GR. I refer to a rigorous and unambigous derivation of Newtonian...
  47. S

    History of Newtonian Mechanics?

    I have been wondering how the classical mechanics that I study in my textbook today was framed. Newton gave his laws of motion, but what about vectors, who invented those. We deal with freely falling bodies and acceleration due to gravity while studing kinematics. But I know that the law of...
  48. marlon

    Newtonian Mechanics, Motion on Inclines, Work Energy Theorem

    Let's start with the very base of Newtonian mechanics. It works like this : Suppose we work in two dimensions denoted by a x-axis and an y-axis. You can work in as many dimensions as you want because all you have to do is add a unit vector to the formula's, as you will see. Starting from the...
  49. S

    Newtonian Mechanics - Banked curves

    Hi, I'm having some trouble determining the formulae for banked curve problems, could somebody give me a general guideline on how to tackle these type of problems. My main problem is resolving the Normal reaction in terms of the angle of the inclined plain. Like i know that Ncos(angle) =...
  50. S

    Explaining Earth's Orbit Using a Geocentric Reference Frame

    Given the sun's mass (Ms = 2 x 10^30 kg) then Earth sun distnace (1.5 x 10^11 m) Newtons Constant G = 6.7 x 10^-11 Nm^2 kg^-2 use a GEOCENTRIC frame to explain the Earth's orbit (approcximate as a circle) This was a question on my test and at first sight i was shocked. But geocentric... if...
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